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Van Gisbergen dominates interrupted qualifying

29 Oct 2022
Series leader 0.4s clear as J. Kostecki, Hazelwood crash
2 mins by James Pavey
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Qualifying 31 Highlights: Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500

Shane van Gisbergen has gapped the field in Race 31 qualifying, which featured two stoppages.

Van Gisbergen put 0.39s on his closest rival on the day he could clinch the 2022 title.

The points leader will be last man out in the ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout.

  • Click here for Qualifying 31 results

Chaz Mostert wrangled his Mobil 1 Optus Commodore to second, with Brodie Kostecki third.

Kostecki is, however, under investigation for impeding Nick Percat.

Cam Waters, the only driver who can prevent van Gisbergen winning the title, snuck into the Shootout.

Waters will be second man out behind Anton De Pasquale, who himself is fighting for third overall.

Todd Hazelwood and Jake Kostecki both crashed, and will launch from 24th and 25th respectively.

J. Kostecki slams the concrete walls

"It means nothing though, the Shootout is still to come," van Gisbergen said of his flyer.

"I lacked on my first lap, we did a Shootout run on the second run... I couldn't turn the tyre on.

"My second lap was quicker with the tyres over-pressured, so maybe we learned something there."

When the 20-minute countdown began, van Gisbergen remained in the lane as the rest of the field took to the track.

Will Davison (1:11.019s) and Waters (1:11.106s) just crossed the line when the red flags flew.

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Replays showed Jake Kostecki clipping the inside wall at Turn 12, when sent the TRADIE Ford into the outside wall.

The Tickford youngster then pinballed into the outside wall on approach to Turn 13.

Van Gisbergen and Mostert hadn’t set a respective time to that point.

Hazelwood finds the fence

However, van Gisbergen quickly fired in a 1:10.669s shortly after the resumption.

Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Waters and James Golding joined him in the 1:10s before Hazelwood struck drama.

Hazelwood locked up into the Turn 14/15 complex and made the tyre barriers.

The session was suspended for a second time, and Mostert had it all to do.

The two-time Bathurst winner jumped to second with a 1:10.796s, with Brodie Kostecki dropping into third.

The track improved, but the likes of van Gisbergen, Waters and De Pasquale returned to the lane.

David Reynolds was the biggest winner, with the #26 Penrite Ford stealing a Shootout berth at the death.

Reynolds jumped to sixth, dropping Scott Pye out of the Shootout altogether.

The running order will be De Pasquale, Waters, Thomas Randle, Heimgartner, Reynolds, James Courtney, Davison, Brodie Kostecki, Mostert and van Gisbergen.

Percat was 12th, just 0.04s behind De Pasquale, with Golding 14th ahead of Broc Feeney.

The Shootout will commence at 1:05pm local time.

The 85-lap Race 31 will start at 3:45pm.

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